Citywest (Irish: Iarthar na Cathrach) is a suburban development on the southwestern periphery of Dublin, originally developed as a "business campus."[1] It contains a large hotel with a convention centre, a small shopping centre and a small but expanding residential element.[2] Citywest is situated in the southwest of the traditional County Dublin, in the jurisdiction of South Dublin County Council; the nearest major suburban centre is Tallaght, while the semi-suburban village of Saggart is adjacent.[3][4] It is 13 km south-west of Dublin city centre.
History
Citywest was launched as a project by Davy Hickey Properties, comprising developer Brendan Hickey and clients of Davy Stockbrokers around 1990, working with entrepreneur and landowner Jim Mansfield. The promoters secured land in the rural Kingswood and Brownsbarn areas near the N7 national road and targeted a mixed development, initially comprising a business park and a hotel and golf course complex, which eventually included some on-course accommodation. The concept was later extended, working with Harcourt Developments and Mansfield's HSS venture.[5] Harcourt and HSS provided 55% of the 150 million euro funding for the Luas light line extension to pass through the site. As of 2011, Davy Hickey Properties had secured permission for 150 residential units, along with two shops and more offices, and while HSS had gone into receivership, development of the site continued.[5]
Major companies based at Citywest have included Pfizer, SAP, Unilever,[5]Independent News and Media (the former main printing plant is visible from the N7), and Eir, who moved their headquarters to the campus.[6]
After the hotel and conference centre complex went into receivership, they were subject to various negotiations before being acquired by Tetrarch Capital in 2017. The two golf courses were modified a number of times, but by 2017 were described in a report of Ireland's Competition and Consumer Protection Commission as disused.[7]
Geography
The River Camac flows north of the business campus, and two of its tributaries pass through it.[8]
Access and transport
Following the opening of the original business park, the N82National road joining the N81 to the Naas dual carriageway was re-routed through the site, having previously passed through the village of Saggart.[citation needed]
Dublin Bus routes 65b, 69, 69x, 77a, 77x, and the 175 by Go-Ahead Ireland, as well as feeder services to Tallaght, and a private commuter bus operated by the business campus management, serve the campus.[citation needed]
Luas
The Luas Line A1 Citywest extension, from Belgard to Saggart, was officially opened at Citywest Drive on 2 July 2011 by the Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar. The following stops were constructed on the line - Fettercairn, Cheeverstown, Citywest Campus, Fortunestown (also serving Citywest Shopping Centre) and Saggart (also serving the Citywest Hotel and its golf course and convention centre). Citywest Campus is the main stop for the business campus, but parts are also served by Cheeverstown and Fortunestown stops. A park-and-ride facility was constructed at the Cheeverstown stop.
Amenities
Citywest Shopping Centre, anchored by Dunnes Stores, also holds a pharmacy, cafes, and other shops.[9] Other retail facilities in the area include a service station.[10]
Sport
A golf complex, previously the Citywest and Hibernian Golf Club, and now simply Citywest Golf Resort, was laid out; the Citywest Hotel, the largest in Ireland, with over 764 rooms,[2] was built adjacent. A 4,000 seat convention centre was also constructed. The hotel, golf resort and related developments were placed in receivership in mid-2010 but remained open.[11] There were two 18-hole courses in the golf resort - both designed by Christy O'Connor Jnr - and it hosted the Irish Masters in 1994 and the Irish Ladies Masters in 1996. Though described as disused in 2017, the resort hosted a golf club in 2019, the licence of which was terminated by notice in 2020, taking effect in March 2021.[12] In October 2020 the owners described both courses as not being financially viable.[13]
The hotel has been used for self-isolation and quarantine, and the conference centre as a vaccination centre, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Citywest hosts a Dublin City University branch facility, the DCU Ryan Academy (previously part of a larger concept, the Eeolas Institute, which closed after major losses).
Three National Schools, one under the patronage of Educate Together and another under the patronage of the Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board, opened their doors in 2012–2014. As of 2014, Citywest Educate Together National School and Citywest & Saggart Community National School, were established at a temporary location in a building next to the Saggart Red Line Luas stop (Heritage Village Citywest), and in 2014 Scoil Aoife Community National School opened on Citywest Drive.
^Doyle, Joseph W. (2022). The Rivers and Streams of Dublin (City of Dublin, Fingal, South Dublin and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown) (2nd ed.). Dublin: Rath Eanna Research. p. 53. ISBN978-1-9999497-3-0.
^Garvey, Maurice (14 October 2020). "Citywest Hotel owners seeking to rezone land for new housing". Echo.ie. Retrieved 28 June 2021. owners of Citywest Hotel are seeking to rezone ... to deliver "significant levels of affordable and senior living housing", and ... amenities such as new sports pitches, a community centre, public parks and greenways. Some of the housing is proposed to be built on land at the former 18-hole Citywest golf course, which closed earlier this year. ... the two courses are no longer financially viable
